Central Coast fans remember Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher became a household name for her role as Princess Leia in “Star Wars,” a character who captured the hearts of many generations.
“I’m sure she’s inspired thousands of women over the years. You know, you gotta be tough, you gotta be resilient, go with your instinct, too,” said Alicia Westfall, a big “Star Wars” fan.
Fisher was born into a show business family in 1956, the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher.
Her film career began in 1975 when she starred alongside Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn in the comedy “Shampoo.”
Two years later, at 19 years old, Fisher was cast in “Star Wars” and appeared in the original trilogy.
“I was a young adult when the first ‘Star Wars’ came out, in 1978, 77. I was about 17, 19. So it’s been a part of my life ever since then,” another fan Eric Tolberg said.
On screen, Fisher was the smart and independent princess, but off-screen, she battled addiction and turbulent family relationships. She wrote about those troubles in the semi-autobiographical novel “Postcards From the Edge,” which was made into a movie starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep.
Fisher was also an advocate for mental health issues, speaking openly about her own battle with bipolar disorder.
On Tuesday, the actress died after suffering a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles on Dec. 23 .
Following the news, many Hollywood stars took to Twitter to pay tribute to the icon, and fans on the Central Coast remember the woman who lived many lives.
“Both my mother and I in the hotel room, woke up and had turned on the news, and it was the first thing I see. And I literally almost burst into tears. I was so upset,” Westfall said.
“I was very saddened, I mean it happened suddenly. She’s about my age, you know, which is particularly tragic,” Tolberg said.
Some also wonder what will happen in the next movie.
“I think she’s still in it, but it will be a different story line for sure moving forward,” said Tom Ngo, from Salt Lake City.
Fisher reportedly finished filming for “Star Wars: Episode8,” and the movie is slated to be released in a year.
